“The Best Interests of the Child”: the Problem of Definition in Social Sciences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22394/2074-0492-2023-4-21-47Keywords:
child protection, childhood, the best interests of the child, rationalized mythAbstract
The article analyzes some possibilities of defining the "best interests of the child" as a concept and principle that arose in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The "interests of the child" do not have a clear definition and become open to different interpretations. Ideas about right actions towards the "interests of the child" can vary on the level of practices, depending on the actor or group of actors. The article examines the emergence of the concept of "the interests of the child" as one of the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and notes the difference between the "opinion" of the child and their "interests", which relate to the implementation of children's rights. The article provides a brief overview of critical works on the concept of "child interests" - and discusses findings from the field of social sciences - that help contextualize "childhood" and ideas about "children's interests" through a social and cultural framework. The author suggests conceptualizing of the "interests of the child" as a rationalized myth in the terms of J. Meyer and B. Rowan.Downloads
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